When I first started in the hair industry one of the biggest lessons I learned was to stop trying to do hair like everyone else. It is easy in the beginning to watch other stylists and think you need to copy exactly what they do but overtime I realize that education is meant to inspire you not to turn you into someone else take what you learned put your own twist on it and make it yours.
Working behind the chair also has taught me something real about relationships when you’re a hairstylist - people you think are your “friends” will sometimes expect deals, discounts or even free hair. It can make you feel guilty when you try to set boundaries, but I learned that once you stand firm and respectfully say no, the people who are only there for the perks tend to fade away- And that’s OK. The clients who truly value you stay.
Through all of it, one thing I’ve never stopped doing is learning, watching education online, refining techniques and staying curious has been everything. The beginning can feel incredibly hard and overwhelming, but it does get better and as you grow, you start to recognize the loyal clients, the ones who value your work, respect your time and truly support your journey. Those are the clients you treat like gold because they’re the foundation that helps your business thrive and reminds you why you started in the first place.
A huge shift in my career is when I moved into my own private one-on-one studio, slowing down changed everything. I took more time with blondes, focussed on the detail and my results Completely transformed it also allowed me to connect more deeply with my clients. I realize I don’t have to love every service in the Hair world and you don’t have to do everything just to make money. Find what you truly love, lean into it and become great at that instead of spreading yourself thin.
Another lesson that came with experience was letting go of the old belief that “every client is always right.” Especially when respect is missing standing up for yourself professionally doesn’t make you difficult - It makes you strong.
If I could tell rising stylist one thing, it’s this: you need a thick skin in this industry. Working with people can be really hard and sometimes clients bring stress or emotions that have nothing to do with you, often when someone is overly picky or difficult it’s because their hair feels like the one and only thing that they control in a life that feels chaotic & learning not to take everything personally is part of the journey.
Find the part of hair that excites you, whether it’s creating blondes, colour corrections, or creative colour and focus on becoming exceptional at it. Build from what you love instead of focussing on things that drain you.
This is one of the rare careers where you can generally create a life around what you enjoy doing every single day.
And above everything else, always take care of your loyal clients the ones who follow you, support you and probably talk about your work. They are the heart of your business and they deserve to be treated like gold.
